…chairman to extend grace to defaulters
THE sum owed by broadcasters to the Guyana National Broadcasting Authority (GNBA) still exceeds $50M but those showing genuine effort to make payments will be given extra time to do so.
Earlier in the year, the GNBA had announced that the outstanding sum owed by some 12 broadcasters stood at over $100M with one broadcaster, alone, owing $20M for broadcast rights.
Unable to give a definite figure at the time, GNBA Chairman Leslie Sobers noted that the remaining amount is still high but most broadcasters have decided to take the just path of paying up in regular installments.
“There are many of those who are working. Some of them are making their payments regularly; some are consistent and we’re seeing progress among those who are consistent. What we’re doing for those with backlogs is that as they clear the backlog, for example, for 2015 we issue the license and if they then clear up 2016, we send that license too and we’re going in stages like that, bit by bit and we’re seeing some progress,” Sobers told the Guyana Chronicle on Tuesday.
Asked whether there are any broadcasters showing total disregard for their debts, Sobers said: “Not really. Even the one who owes the $20M is making promises to come and do the right thing and come and pay but the promises are not backed by action.”
“[This broadcaster] probably believes that it shouldn’t be paid but that’s another story and we will deal with that in the right way in the right time.”
However, giving a general overview, the chairman said that the majority of the broadcasters with outstanding figures are making amends.
“Bar that one [which owes 20M], all the others are making genuine efforts,” he confirmed. Previously, the GNBA had decided that all broadcasters would individually pay half of their debt within the first quarter of the year and the rest in monthly installments by the end of 2018.
The board then moved to publish a list of defaulting broadcasters in April after the first quarter had elapsed without broadcasters following through with the agreement. Taking into consideration that many have now begun to pay up, the GNBA may be giving those fairly compliant some time beyond the end of 2018 to get themselves in order.
“Yes, I think we’ll have to do that [give an extension in time] because a person might not be able to clear it up at the end of this year but you know that that broadcaster has been making a genuine effort,” Sobers explained, adding: “Remember our job is to encourage the development of the broadcasting sector, not to kill it. So, in as much as we would still want to go behind our monies, if a little more time would aid that broadcaster into full compliance then we will grant that little more time.”
